Breakthrough
by TokiHime
Summary: The only way to change a bitter, dead future is to rewind the clock and make a better past. But can Kurama achieve it by himself twenty years thrown back into time? Not to mention he's grown soft and the kids are affecting him. And why does everyone want to get into his pants? Damn you, Naruto Uzumaki. Slash KyuuIya SasuNaru


**Breakthrough**

* * *

Another scream, more blood, smoke and dead bodies everywhere.

It's what Naruto has become accustomed to for the past ten years or so. However, holding the body of his dying lover in his arms right now is making him realize that, maybe there really is nothing they can do against Kaguya. Most of everyone that he's grown very attached to are dead, and now Sasuke, the love of his life, is bleeding out in his arms. And there isn't a damn thing he can do about it because the medical cord is several yards away and by the time he gets there Sasuke will already be dead. He'd be including Sakura, but a bitter grin spreads to his face at the memory of her getting impaled and dying right in front of him almost a year ago.

It's a tragic ending for them really, because being stuck in a cave while the love of your life dies beneath you and one of your lungs has collapsed along with a broken leg has to be one of the worse ways to go. Naruto knows he'll be fine, thanks to Kurama, but to live a life without Sasuke? It's unimaginable, unfathomable, just downright wrong. He physically can not live without the Uchiha by his side. To breathe air and not have his Sasuke in the same vicinity would be a crime of it's own when the Uchiha has literatlly become like an addiction to him.

There's a small sound, followed by a round of soft coughing that makes Naruto look down at his partner. Sasuke barely manages to open his black, almost lifeless eyes, dry blood staining his face, and black meet blue. Sasuke shakily reaches a hand up to cup one of Naruto's cheeks, and immediately Naruto interlocks their hands together.

Fresh tears from his eyes land on Sasuke's face, and all the Uchiha can do is give a small smile, but even an action as small as this is painful for him and he starts to cough up more blood. His breathing is becoming harsher and Naruto's eyes widen, the fear of losing his soulmate crashing down on him. He turns Sasuke's hand around and feels his pulse fading away, unfortunately making his own heart start to beat rapidly because he knows there's no saving the Uchiha this time.

"Naruto..." Sasuke tries to speak, but Naruto hushes him, knowing that they don't have much time left and wanting to stall for as long as he can before they both meet death.

"You don't have to say a word Sasuke, I know you jumped in front of me to save my life, but it still doesn't change the fact that you're dying and so am I. We're both going to die today in this cave, together. We've tried, but the enemy is too powerful and all our friends and family are dead. There's no one else left to save, because even if we defeated her today, what will be left that we saved? Nothing. It's now time for us to meet everyone waiting in the afterlife Sasuke...I wish things turned out better here for us, but it's over. We tried and failed." Sasuke lets out a shaky sigh and closes his eyes in defeat, more blood slipping out of his mouth.

"I love you so much Sasuke and Im just sorry we couldn't have had a happier ending. I wish I hadn't grown up with people seeing me as a monster and I wish you had grown up without the fear of looking behind your shoulder every five seconds. To be carefree children and actually act like kids and not be thrown into a fucking war...Maybe when we were teenagers we could have gone out on an actual date instead of trying to kill each other. Hell, as adults we could have gotten married, lived in a big huge house and adopt a bunch of kids like we wanted."

"With Kurama free and our pet in the backyard?" Sasuke jokes and it makes Naruto feel like he can't breathe, another sob escaping him.

"Y-Yeah...The perfect family."

"Well for all it's worth...at least I died, in the end, knowing that I love you more than anything Naruto." The blond man shakes his head, watching Sasuke take his last rounds of breath and quickly Naruto leans down and kisses him.

It's short, brief, but it's enough for them and Sasuke saves his last breath for that kiss before his eyes roll to the back of his head, his chest gradually coming to a stop. Naruto manages to whisper that he loves him before the Uchiha goes completely lifeless, and Sasuke passes away with a smile on his face. Naruto can't believe what he's seeing with his own eyes and he quietly cries for several minutes, alone in this eerily quiet cave.

He holds Sasuke's body close to him, the Uchiha's cold corpse clashing with his still-warm body. Now he knows there's only one thing left to do, one last person left to see before it all ends.

* * *

It's been so many years of fighting that Kurama lost count after ten.

The war has gone on for ages and in the back of his mind throughout the years, Kurama knew there was no chance of defeating Madara Uchiha. He is too powerful, too legendary, and the only person that can even stand a chance of defeating him is ironically either Itachi Uchiha if he was alive and healthy, or Hashirama, the first Hokage. As powerful as Naruto and even Sasuke have become after the Sage gave them their powers, there is no way they can beat Madara. And how would Kurama know this? Because the Uchiha managed to capture and tame him: The Kyuubi no Kitsune.

They tried and they tried hard, and when Naruto is down, Kurama still gives him false hope. Why? Because they have become good friends and Kurama has even learned to do something foreign that he never thought possible.

_Love._

Yes, Kurama has learned to love Naruto over the years. He has fallen in love with this little hyperactive, emotional, blond-haired human that somehow snuck his way beneath all the hatred and maliciousness in his heart. Kurama has never known what love is personally, besides seeing the relationships between Mito and Hashirama, Kushina and Minato, and Naruto and Sasuke for the past century. All three completely different relationships, yet each special in their own way. However, the most unique one of them all probably has to be either Naruto or Kushina's love life. Kurama has never witnessed more stubborn, yet beautiful people like those two before in his long life. They have some kind of special power that draws people in to love them. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on who's looking, Kurama is one of those people, or in his case beings.

A human's life is like a blink of an eye to Kurama, but with Naruto, the end is coming too quickly for the demon's liking. More and more of Naruto's comrades and friends keep dying left and right each day it seems, and the more they fall, the more Naruto has changed. The bright boy that is alway's full of sunshine is completely gone and has become devoid of emotion.

The brightness completely dimmed when Sakura was killed.

Naruto barely talked to anyone after that, except for Sasuke and Kakashi when he needed a shoulder to cry on about their female teammate. It didn't really hit Kurama how much Naruto had changed until Kakashi passed away due to saving Obito from getting killed. Then Obito died shortly after because of a stab to the head from Kaguya. The older Uchiha couldn't breathe after the loss of his best friend, wasn't paying attention and died right on top of Kakashi. Naruto had grown_ very_ close to Obito in the end, and to have both men he looked up to die together because of Kaguya, once again, completely tore Naruto's heart. Naruto himself had a panic attack while watching them die and passed out.

It's been a year since that happened, and now it's just Sasuke and Naruto on the battlefield. Well, now that Sasuke is gone...

"Have you given up?" He quietly asks.

The cage has been opened for Kurama for decades now, and slowly the huge demon emerges from the darkness until he is about a foot away from the blond man on his knees, staring down at the water with a blank look in his face. Kurama frowns and lowers his face down to nuzzle Naruto, who has grown up into such a fine man over the years. The fox barely feels it, but Naruto wraps strong hands into his orange fur and begins to cry. Kurama closes his eyes and lets the man weep beneath him.

"Kurama...I can't do this anymore. Im going to die today." Kurama's frown deepens at the words.

"So that's it? Sasuke dies and you feel the need to end it all. You know I can heal you Naruto, so why are you blocking my chakra from doing so?" A soft sigh leaves the man's lips and he buries his face deeper into Kurama's fur.

A bitter laugh escapes from the Uzumaki. "You of all people wouldn't understand Kurama, im in love with him and I can't continue to live if he's not by my side. This war has destroyed everything, land, relationships, people, there's nothing left to save, it's over." Kurama doesn't say a word while his human kit sobs in his fur. All he can do is shift his head and gently nuzzle the blond man that's became like his son.

A ghostly figure approaches them in the sewer and Kurama begins to lift his head up and growl, until he actually looks at who it is and bows his head.

Naruto detaches himself from Kurama's fur and looks at none other than the Sage of Six Paths, who he hasn't seen in years since the old man granted him the gift of life. A gift that Naruto stopped using a long time ago when too many people lost their lives, too many to count. So many people asked him to save their comrades lives, which honestly was so draining after doing so for hundreds of people daily. But after saving Gaara's life for the third time, Naruto decided it was best to stop using this power and let his friends naturally go one by one.

He's come to a point to realize he can't save everyone.

"Kurama, Naruto, I have a proposition to make for both of you." Naruto and Kurama stare at the Sage, anxiously awaiting for what he has to say. "As it seems, most, if not everyone has passed and you can surely see there is no way to defeat Kaguya...in this timeline that is." Kurama and Naruto look at each other, then stare back at the Sage.

"What do you mean...?" Naruto softly asks.

The Sage of Six Paths hums and smiles at the two. He floats to where Naruto is and holds out one of his hands for Naruto to take.

Naruto stares at the hand for a moment before taking it and standing up to be face to face with the Sage. He feels a power surge through his veins when their hands connect and gives a wide-eyed stare to the Sage before him. Naruto glows white for a second and Kurama looks at the two in awe. The power stops as soon as it's begun and Naruto glances down at his hands to see if anything new appeared on them.

"My dear boy, I just gave you the power of time travel. The forbidden Time Travel Reversal jutsu. To activate, place the seal on yourself and from then on use the Tiger sign to active and break the seal, then you'll be sent back into time. Hopefully, a second chance will fix this mess before it even starts. It's my last gift to you if you'll take it, Naruto."

A second chance? Time travel? Fixing everything before it starts? All these things rush into the blond man's head, and Naruto feels his heart soar at the thought of another chance to have a better ending than this when it comes to life.

Many tears fall from his eyes and he surprises the Sage with a strong hug, then steps away to wipe his face and gain his composure.

"Thank you Sage, t-thank you so much." Naruto can't thank him enough and get's down on his knees once more, bowing to the man.

"Use the power wisely my boy, but be aware with the seal only someone strong enough to handle this jutsu may go on the journey. Should someone who is dying be literatlly ripped apart instantly and not make it back...Good luck." The Sage gives the two one last nod before he fades away, knowing this is the last time he would see them for now.

Kurama stands there, tails leisurely swinging back and forth while giant red eyes watch Naruto sit there for what feels like days. He dares not to bother the man while he is in deep thought and waits patiently for Naruto to speak out loud.

"Come here, Kurama." Naruto snap's his eyes open and stands up to face the giant fox. Kurama eagerly leans his head down and shivers from the power of the Sage when Naruto touches him.

Stiffing at the burn of a mark he feels forming behind his neck, Kurama blinks and red eyes shift to look at the blond human below who is smiling at him. It takes a moment for Kurama to register why Naruto isn't placing the mark on himself and on him, and fear suddenly takes over. He back's away from Naruto, into the darkness of the cage he's become so comfortable with.

"Naruto...What are you doing, what have you done to me?!" The demon looks at the human baffled, mouth slight open and ears twitching, anticipation running through him.

"Silly fox, you heard him. I'm too weak to go back and this is the only way." Kurama doesn't understand and backs away further into the darkness, which makes Naruto frown and walk closer to the demon. "Listen, I love you Kurama, and if anybody deserves another chance, it's you. Don't worry, everything is going to be okay, but I can't go back." Kurama shakes his head and for the first time in a very, very long time, the demon feels tears running down his cheeks.

Why would Naruto even _think_ to send someone like him back in time anyway? No. Not again. Not to get manipulated and used because of who he is. Kurama is a demon, and demon's like him don't deserve second chances.

"Naruto, I didn't agree to this. Don't make me do this!" Kurama hates to admit it, but to go back in time to face all those dangers by himself full of blood-thirsty, crazy Uchiha that want to kill him?

He's absolutely frightened.

"Don't make my decision harder than it needs to be fox. If I go back, i'll just screw everything up again."

"But Naruto, let me at least heal you because without me you'll..." Kurama whispers, hating that Naruto is doing this to him.

"I know Kurama, I know...But like I said, everything is going to be alright, and I never go back on my word. I know you'll do just fine. Besides, im so use to making sure everyone else is happy and worrying about others besides how I feel. But for once, just for the last time, I want to be selfish and do something for myself. I want to have the freedom to finally get what I want in my last dying moments, so no, I don't want you to heal me. I want to finally rest in peace and die laying right next to Sasuke." Naruto comes forward into the cage and Kurama instantly leans his head down to nuzzle against Naruto for what probably is going to be the last time.

"But Nar–" He starts to protest, but Naruto shakes his head to silence him.

"Goodbye Kurama...I love you and make sure me and Sasuke don't try to kill each other twenty-four seven. The feelings we've had for each other has been since forever and I can't imagine a reality without us being together, but don't force anything, he he. And...just protect Sasuke at all cost for me. His life means the world to me and it's my last wish to you. Please save him from the darkness before Itachi pulls him in too deep again. Maybe in another life they can actually be brother's and I can crack jokes with him and call him big brother." Naruto says fondly and Kurama lets out a low whimper because he doesn't want Naruto to let go of him, ever. But this is it, their last goodbye and he's going to fulfill the promise of a lifetime.

"You really are a selfish brat in the end. I love you too Naruto and i'll make sure nothing happens to you or the Uchiha brat, trust me." The feeling of them being separated happens all too quickly and Kurama is soon in the outside world. Where dead bodies lay, and explosions and debris cover a red-colored smoky sky and a bloody battlefield. Finally free, after a century of being captive by humans, Kurama muses before a light consumes him.

* * *

Kurama see's nothing but white and a flash.

He lands on the ground hard, so hard he feels like he's been thrown into several buildings and is seeing stars. No, wait. He blinks once the dizziness fades away and realizes he's actually looking up at stars and the evening sky. Shock, bewilderment, then confusion makes it's way onto his face and he brings a clawed hand up to remove a strand of hair from his mouth. He pauses.

His face, hair, hands–

_"Clawed human hands and hair? What the fuck is going on?"_ Kurama thinks to himself.

He quickly stands up–or at least he tries to. Sitting up, he glances down and is surprised to see he has _legs_. He's seen enough people walk to know how to use them, but once you become a human yourself it's harder than it looks. After a couple of tries, he finally get's the hang of it and stands up on wobbly legs.

A soft, cold breeze hit's him and makes him look down at himself to see he's completely naked, and he notes that his hair goes down to his ankles. There's no lake or water nearby to inspect himself, so he has no idea what he looks like. As a matter of fact, a shiver rakes down his spine and he lets out a small exhale too see his actual breath in the air, the weather very chilly. It doesn't seem like it's winter quite yet since some trees still have leaves left on them as he looks around his surroundings, but it's definitely towards the end of fall.

Another violent shiver crawls down his body and suddenly reality comes crashing back to him why he's even a human in the first place, his heart feeling like it's breaking in two. There are two strikes of lightning, followed by a loud boom of thunder and ironically it starts to rain, but Kurama blames the raindrops for why his face is wet and not the actual tears rolling down his face.

Naruto.

Tears rapidly start falling from Kurama's human eyes and he falls to his knees in the dying grass that's becoming soaked because of the rain, his knees digging into the mud, but he doesn't care. Staring up at the rainy sky, he shoves down the idea of finding more clues for the moment as he lets out a small cry, softly, so no one nearby can hear. He doesn't want this, he doesn't want to be the one to come back. Naruto should have so he can have a second chance at a happier life he deserves with Sasuke and his friends. Because damn, it makes no sense for Kurama to be here, alone, and figure out everything by himself.

At least he got to tell Naruto he loved him and goodbye before leaving, he supposes, but it doesn't stop the bitter taste in his mouth that Naruto would do this to him. Why Kurama of all people? Why. Why. Why. It isn't fair, Naruto deserves a second chance more than anybody else in this black and white world. Kurama just doesn't understand why he sent a demon like him back in time to fix _everything_. How is he suppose to stop Orochimaru, Kabuto, the Akatsuki, Nagato, Danzo, Itachi, Obito, Madara?

And what's scary is that even though it is Naruto who is the _Jinchūriki_, when all is said and done everyone wants Kurama_, _the actual_ bijuu_. This is a dangerous game Naruto is playing sending him of all people back in time.

How is he supposed to save anyone when he needs to save _himself_ from getting killed first.

Kurama thinks back to the first time he physically met Naruto, and Naruto _demanded_ the fox to save him from Jiraiya's test. He snorts at the memory, trying so hard to intimidate the child just to have everything backfire and Naruto intimidate _him_. And now, to their last memory of having to say goodbye to each other while he was ripped away from Naruto, literally. His heart is breaking into a million pieces and curse humans for being so emotional. His new human body has to be the reason why he can't stop crying, it has to be.

Funny enough, it's not just Naruto that Kurama is crying over. The loss of his demon siblings hurts him badly too, and he chokes thinking back to when he watched Kaguya kill each of his weird family one by one through Naruto's eyes. He wishes he could have done more to save them, and Naruto did try his best. But in the end, once again, he is the only one that survived. Maybe, just maybe, he can save all of them in this timeline if he isn't too late.

Another shaky cry breaks out and he covers his face with his hands, because Kurama can't help but mourn the loss of someone he's learned to love so much. He's confused, hurt, angry, and most of all terrified.

There's a little voice in the back of his head that tells him to stand up, and it makes Kurama still. No, maybe he's just imagining it and going crazy, but that voice sounds awfully familiar and just as soon as he hears it, it disappears. He sniffs while a sneeze builds up in his chest before he releases it, followed by several chills going down his spine. He wraps his arms around himself and stands up, the freezing cold rain pouring down hard on him.

He has no idea where he is, he's scared and all alone. The first thing he needs to do is to find some type of civilization and grab some clothes, then find a calendar and figure out not only where he is, but how far back in time he's been sent to. Hopefully far back enough to stop everything before it starts. Damn, in the words of Naruto's other best friend, Shikamaru; this is going to be a drag, Kurama bitterly thinks while more flashes of lightning light up the sky.


End file.
